From 1 November 2004 vehicle immobilisers in England and Wales will be able to start applying for an SIA licence, which become mandatory on 28 February 2005.
After 28 February it will be illegal to operate anywhere in England and Wales without this licence, which applies to vehicle immobilisers, their supervisors, managers and directors who operate on private ground and charge a fee for the release of a vehicle.
The licence application fee for a one-year vehicle immobiliser operative (front line) is £190. A non front-line licence will also cost £190, but will last for three years.
Commenting on the changes SIA chairman Peter Hermitage said: “The licensing of vehicle immobilisers provides the opportunity to set standards and drive out bad practice. In the past there have been too many rogue operators and we now have the opportunity to address them through regulation.”